Southgate backed to succeed

27 January 2009 11:00

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Under-pressure Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has been handed a vote of confidence by chief executive Keith Lamb.
Boro have dropped into the bottom three after failing to win any of their last ten matches although they did reach the last 16 of the FA Cup at the weekend by beating Wolves 2-1 at Molineux.
Lamb is confident Southgate can lift the club away from danger, saying: "Gareth will get the time to put it right.
"We're not panicking and chairman Steve Gibson and I remain confident Gareth is the right man to do it.
"The harder it gets the more determined he is to succeed. He's a fighter and a winner and that's what we need."
Southgate had said earlier this month after watching his side lose 3-0 at West Brom: "If Steve (Gibson) thinks there needs to be change, he'll make a change.
"I could have no complaints if he did based on the results we've had.
"We've been beaten 3-0 at the bottom team and how we come through this is the important thing. We understand the spotlight will be on us. Everyone will be asking plenty of questions about us.
"We have to stand strong, we have to take the criticism, and we have to respond with what we do on the field. We have to stand firm as a group."